And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” ... Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:18,22)
Many of us have met, are in the process of meeting, or are hoping to meet someone we can marry and spend the rest of our earthly lives with. God's requirements for marriage are a lot different than the world's appears to be:
1. God created marriage to be between a man and a woman: I will make him a helper comparable to him. (Genesis 2:18); So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; (Genesis 1:27-28)
2. God will send the right person: He brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:22); Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? ... Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (II Corinthians 6:14-16)
3. God commands that the two be faithful to each other: You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18); Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. (Proverbs 6:32)
4. God intends for marriage to last until death: Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:18); But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. (I Corinthians 7:11); For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. (Romans 7:2)
If we notice in scripture, very seldom does a couple marry because they are "in love" or because they are "attracted" to eachother. Probably because looks and feelings change, but at the core of the relationship must be God. God's guidelines lead to lifelong commitment and contentment:
1. God does not want us to have inappropriate sexual relationships:
- we are not to have sexual relationships with close relatives: None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:6); "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!" (I Corinthians 5:1)
- we are not to have sexual relationships with someone of the same sex: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22); For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. (Romans 1:26-27)
- we are not to have sexual relationships with animals: Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion. (Leviticus 18:23)
2. God prefers we marry if we can not control our sexual desires: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. (I Corinthians 7:1-2); But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. (I Corinthians 7:32-33)
3. God does not want us to be in a relationship that causes us to be afraid and hurt: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (I John 4:18); But God has called us to peace. (I Corinthians 7:15)
People marry for all kinds of reasons, most of which aren't the reasons that will lead to the marriage lasting. The divorce rate in America as of 2011 was 50%, half of all marriages ending in divorce. Based on what we've reviewed so far, it's clear to see why the statisic is so high. This is not what God desires for marriage. The final key to making sure we have or will have a successful marriage is this: But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (I Corinthians 11:3) In other word's, men and women, we must make sure God is first in our life; believe in His Son, Jesus Christ; and women, if you put a man inbetween you and God, make sure that man believes in Jesus Christ also!
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